I Need You
by swimchika77
Summary: 20 yrs later, Draco and Hermione are happily married. the perfect couple, right? but something keeps them from forgetting their past and the only one person who ever came between them, Harry Potter. [sequel of I Envy You]
1. the life after hogwarts

[20 years later. Draco and Hermione are happily married with two children. Hermione still hasn't forgotten about Harry, and somewhere deep down, she still keeps wishing he will come back.]  
  
Hermione's POV  
  
Hermione absentmindedly twirled the silver finger on her right index finger, thinking of one of her best friends, Harry, who had died 20 years ago fighting a battle against Lord Voldemort. She sighed out loud.  
  
Draco's POV  
  
"Hermione, are you alright?" Draco placed a hand on her forearm, but looked ahead, concentrating on the road. He was driving them to Hermione's parents house in their small white Honda sedan. Their children were asleep in the back seat, allowing them some time to themselves. (_After graduating from Hogwarts, Draco and Hermione had gotten engaged, and were married two years later. They had decided to live in both the Muggle world and the wizarding world, half year in the Muggle world, and half year in the wizarding world. That way, Hermione wouldn't have to abandon her aging mother. Hermione's father had died a couple of years ago because of a failing heart, leaving her mom alone. Hermione and Draco had both learned to drive, because even though they were allowed to use magic and apparate in the Muggle world, their children were still too young_.)  
  
"Huh?" Hermione looked up startled.  
  
"You still think about Po-Harry a lot?" After learning that his father had died on the night of the battle, Draco had decided that there would be no need to continue hating Muggles, after all, he was only doing it for his father's sake. He had also started calling Potter, Harry, out of respect for him.  
  
"Yea, I just-I wonder what he would be like now, you know? Would he have a family? Would we still be friends?"  
  
"I bet he would still be pretty much the same, maybe playing for a professional Quidditch team." Draco tapped the gas pedal, accelerating them past a few houses. "Okay, here we are." He swerved into the driveway of a blue house and parked. Hermione swung open the door and hopped out, opening the back door to wake up Paige and Dave. Paige was three years old, and Dave was six.  
  
Hermione's POV  
  
"Come on honey, we're here." Hermione gently squeezed Dave's leg.  
  
"Mummy, are we there yet?" Dave asked groggily.  
  
"Yes, now get out, I need to get Paige."  
  
"Yes! We are at grandma's house!" Dave said loudly, waking up Paige.  
  
Hermione picked Paige up and handed her to Draco, who nuzzled her and placed her on his shoulders. Paige laughed happily. "Dada!" She screamed pulling his hair. Hermione took Dave by the hand, led him up to the porch, and rang the doorbell. She heard hurried footsteps running towards the door.  
  
"Honey!" Hermione's mom, Ginger, opened the front door, sending a wave of peppermint rushing up Hermione's nose. Ginger looked Hermione over, and suddenly noticing Draco gasped. "My favorite son-in-law! I hope you left some space in that stomach of yours for a huge dinner!"  
  
"Hi mom." Draco beamed.  
  
"And my grandchildren!" Ginger smiled at Dave who was hiding behind Hermione. "Come in! Come in! Dinner is on the table."  
  
Draco set Paige down on a chair. "I need to go get the suitcases."  
  
"Oh, pish-posh, that can wait for after dinner." Ginger said.  
  
"Ok, so what's for dinner?" Draco picked Paige up and placed her on his hip.  
  
"Turkey and a whole lot of side dishes." Ginger replied and pushed him towards the kitchen. "Come on! Dinner is getting cold."  
  
Draco's POV  
  
"Mmmm. Mom, this is wonderful! It really hits the spot!" Draco muttered through a mouth full of food.  
  
Ginger beamed at her son-in-law. "Eat up! It must have been a long drive here."  
  
The dinner table buzzed with the sounds of forks being picked up and put down. The kids babbled away and munched on various crumbs. 20 years ago, Draco would have never thought that one day he would be happily married with children. Now, he was the happiest wizard in the whole wizarding world. He had a beautiful wife and two healthy children. Still, his past haunted him. Every night, he would dream about the day Harry Potter, the boy-who-lived, gave his life for his.  
  
"Draco?" Hermione's voice floated through his thoughts and he finally looked up from his plate.  
  
"Hmm?" Draco looked up to find the table already cleared and Paige and Dave playing on the carpet in the living room.  
  
"Are you alright?" Hermione looked worried.  
  
"Yea, I'm fine. I'll go get the luggage." He leaned over and kissed Hermione before heading off to get the suitcases from the car.  
  
Hermione's POV  
  
Hermione at once knew what Draco had been thinking of: Harry. She was worried about him. They had tried everything possible, even Muggle therapy to help him with his guilt, but nothing seemed to work. Draco still had the notion that he had killed Harry...

20 yrs later, Draco and Hermione are happily married. the perfect couple, right? but something keeps them from forgetting their past and the only one person who ever came between them, Harry Potter.


	2. the boy who lives

Later that night  
  
Draco's POV  
  
"G'night honey, don't let the bed bugs bite." Draco heard Hermione say across the hallway.  
  
"'Night mummy!" Dave whispered back.  
  
The door creaked shut and Draco watched as Hermione crossed the carpet to the bed where he lay.  
  
"Hey, you alright?" Hermione lay down next to him, placing her petite hand on his chest.  
  
"Yea, sure, why don't we get some sleep? We've got a long day ahead of us tomorrow." Draco sighed.  
  
Hermione agreed, and pulling up the comforter, snuggled into Draco's strong arms and fell asleep. Draco on the other hand, had trouble falling asleep, his visions always haunted by Harry Potter. Finally, he quietly crept out of bed and retrieved a small vial of sleep potion, which he took, and finally allowed him to fall asleep..  
  
_ A clearing was visible through a thicket of trees, and peering through them, Draco was able to see the trampled ground, which had once held the masses of wizards who had joined together in hopes of defeating the Lord Voldemort. Cautiously he stepped into the opening and looked around. All the memories from that day came flowing back: the aurors screaming in agony as they were tortured by the death-eaters, the death-eaters put under the imperious spell by the aurors, Lord Voldemort's chamber, and finally when Harry risked it all for him...Draco fell to his knees clinging on to his head as the memories swirled wildly. He felt himself falling, and for a while he felt numb until he finally hit a ground. Groping wildly, Draco's fingers came in contact wit a hard stone ground, which was rough against his skin. Finally he finally came to his senses and was able to open his eyes without his head throbbing like hell. Looking around himself, he found that he was in a small town, perhaps in the country. A menacing man peered from out of a cottage, which was identical to the twenty other small cottages surrounding the small plaza Draco had landed in. Draco squinted and saw that he could see a forest, not so far away from the town, and from behind the forest protruded a blue mark, which hung in the sky marking the spot where Lord Voldemort had been defeated. Draco stood up and closely examined his surroundings, spotting a pub, he decided to have a few shots before he headed back home. As he ambled closer to the pub, he realized there was a man sitting next to the door, dirty and dressed in rags. Draco hadn't noticed him before, but now he saw that the man had straggly black hair, streaked with gray, and a beard as if he hadn't shaved for months.__  
  
__"Hello sir." Draco greeted politely. The man glanced up startled, and Draco was surprised to find himself staring into a pair of sharp green eyes._  
  
_"Oh-I-I'll get out of your way-"The man tried to pick himself up quickly but grabbed his knee in pain. "Ah—sorry, I'll get out of the way." He pulled himself with his arms, so that he was further away from the door._  
  
_"No, no problem, do you need some help sir? Medical attention? You seem hurt. Would you at least let me buy you something to warm your stomach with?" Draco questioned. He peered at the guy closely. "Do I know you? You look like Ha—"Draco chuckled foolishly to himself. "No, you couldn't be. I'm sorry. What is your name?"_  
  
_"Potter. Harry Potter."_  
  
_Draco's face whitened. "Potter?—No, no –you cant be Potter, Potter's dead. He's dead. He died that night, for me! HE DIED, DAMMIT. STOP HAUNTING ME! PLEASE, JUST LET ME BE. PLEASE!" He crumpled on the hard ground, beating the rocks with his bare hands until they bled freely.._  
  
_"Honey, honey? Wake up, honey." A soft voice played in the background._

Hermione's POV  
  
Hermione woke up to the tossing and turning of Draco. He seemed to be muttering something, and leaning in closer, he could hear him talking to someone...potter? HARRY?!  
  
"Honey, honey? Wake up, honey." She gently shook him, as she waited patiently for him to wake up.  
  
"He's alive. He's alive. Potter. Potter. No, how can it be possible." Draco sat up as if he had a spasm, gasping for air like a fish out of water.  
  
"It's okay, honey, I'm here. It's okay." Hermione tried to keep calm.  
  
Draco looked around as if he didn't know where he was. "I've—I have to go find him. I have to know if he's alive or not."  
  
"Draco, what are you talking about?" Hermione leaned up on her elbow.  
  
"Potter, he's alive, and I'm going to find him."  
  
Hermione teared up. "Draco, don't play with me. Harry is not back, and he is not going to be back. I thought we got over this. Harry is gone, he's not coming back—remember? Twenty years ago, he risked his life for your's.." "No, you don't understand. I saw him in my dream, I know where he is." Draco stood up and grabbed his robe.  
  
"Honey, this is absurd. It's 2 AM in the morning, where are you going?"  
  
"I have to find him, Hermione. It's—I feel like I owe him something." Draco stated.  
  
"Okay, okay, come back here. How about first thing in the morning we go and look for him—wherever you think he maybe. I'm sure mum won't mind looking after Paige and Dave for a day or two alone."  
  
"No, stay here with the kids, I'll go alone."  
  
"He's my friend too. I need to see him for myself. Come back to sleep, we'll go tomorrow, alright? We'll go together." Hermione patted the empty spot on the bed that Draco had made.  
  
Draco sighed and made his way back to the bed. "Okay, okay."  
  
Hermione wrapped her arms around him and rocked him till he fell asleep.Draco's POV  
  
Draco woke up to the smell of fresh pancakes sizzling in the kitchen. He sat up, remembering his dream from the night before and the promise he had made. Dressing quickly he grabbed his wand and headed down to the kitchen.  
  
"Hey honey, you're up?" Hermione placed a batch of pancakes on the table. She was already dressed, which was a sign that she had not forgotten her promise. "So, mom agreed that we could leave the kids with her alone for a couple of days. Why don't you grab some breakfast and then we can go?" 

* * *

After a quick breakfast, Hermione and Draco kissed the kids goodbye and apparated back to the wizarding world.  
  
"So where are we going?" Hermione asked, still unsure of the whole idea. 

"Somewhere near the site of the Castle de Vuelta, a small town near it." Draco answered a little distracted by the kids running up and down Diagon Alley, where they had apparated first to pick up some money.  
  
Quickly they got a large amount of wizard money and headed off to the small town that Draco had dreamed of.

Hermione's POV  
  
Hermione found herself and Draco in a small town only about an hour's flight from Diagon Alley. She glanced around, soaking in the small town feeling that she never felt, being born and raised in the suburbs.  
  
"Ok, so in my dream, I was going to the pub, where I bumped into Harry." Draco explained.  
  
"Yeah, look, there it is." Hermione pointed to their left, where sure enough, there was a brown shack, with the words: "Ye Pub" engraved in it. As they walked closer, she noticed that there was a man leaning against the pub. His dirty rags and his haywire black hair had camouflaged him against the brown building. She would never admit it, but at that moment, she was more nervous than ever. Thoughts of Harry never ceased to run through her mind. From the first year at Hogwarts fighting the troll to the last time she saw him flying away to fight Lord Voldemort. She was anxious to see what twenty years had done to her best friend.  
  
"There he is!" Draco whispered in her ear.  
  
"Where?" Hermione couldn't find anyone who looked like Harry.  
  
"That man sitting in front of the pub. That guy in rags with the messy black hair."  
  
"That's not Harry." Hermione stated flatly.  
  
"In my dream it was."  
  
"I tell you, that's not him."  
  
"We'll find out. Won't we?" Draco sighed.  
  
They made their way to the front of the pub, where the slovenly man sat.  
  
"Excuse me." Draco's voice quivered slightly.  
  
"Sorry, I'll move out of the way sir." The man said without ever looking up.  
  
That voice, I'd know that voice anywhere—Harry—but it can't be. Hermione watched as the man struggled to get up, but fail and fall back, gently massaging his right knee, and she couldn't suppress her tears any longer...

Harry's POV

A couple made their way to the door of the pub, where Harry sat.  
  
"Excuse me." A deep voice rumbled above him.  
  
"Sorry, I'll move out of the way sir." Harry didn't dare look up into the stranger's eyes. He stood up quickly but his broken knee gave way and he grimaced in pain. "I'm sorry, just give me a second." He continued staring at the ground, using his hands to push himself further away from the pub door, groaning in pain. A soft sniffle broke his concentration, and this time, he couldn't help but look up.  
  
Staring at him with a tear-stained face was an attractive middle-aged woman, accompanied by a burly, handsome, blond man. Harry watched as her warm brown eyes swept over his face, focusing in on his green eyes and then landing on his forehead. Harry shamefully swept his bangs in front of his infamous scar, and cast his eyes back to the hard rock ground.  
  
"Harry..?" The woman whispered, dropping to her knees. "It's me, Harry, it's me. Look at me, please, look at me." She begged.

Hermione's POV  
  
The man in front of her sat unmoving. He would neither look up at her, nor say anything. She took the silver ring, which Harry had given her 20 years ago, off her finger and placed it in her palm, thrusting it in front of him.  
  
"You gave this to me." She tried to keep from choking up with tears. "I still remember how you promised you would always protect me, keep me safe. Do you remember?"  
  
A single tear fell into the palm of her hand. 


	3. coming home

Harry's POV  
The woman who had broken his heart twenty years ago was now kneeling in front of him, begging for him to recognize her. He knew who she was, how could he ever forget? Her face had haunted him every hour, of every day, of every year they had been apart. But how could he face her now? He had no home, no food, and he didn't even know what to say. The woman stirred, pulling a ring off of her left middle finger. The ring was well worn in, the smooth polish it once had was dulled with wear. She carefully placed the ring in the center of her palm and pushed her hand in his face. An aroma of vanilla washed over him, bring back memories of the months he spent, hoping that she was too, in love with him, but finding out that she had fallen for that no good Malfoy. He broke down and cried. He cried the tears he had kept in for the last twenty years, he cried for the years he had lost struggling to find a way home, he cried for his friends that thought he was dead, but mostly he cried for the chance he never had with the beautiful woman in front of him.  
  
"Oh my god. Harry. It's you, it's really you." Hermione wrapped her arms around him and cried, tears streamed down her face and wet his shoulder. "I knew you would keep your promise. I knew you would come back." She sobbed quietly, and finally let him go.  
  
Harry smiled sadly and whispered, "You're still as beautiful as I remember you twenty years ago."  
  
Hermione smiled through her happy tears. "Come home with me, Harry. We'll get your life back. Together."  
  
Harry shook his head. "I got myself into this mess, and I'll get myself out of it. Even if I have to crawl all the way to Diagon alley on my one good knee and my hands."  
  
Hermione sniffled and wiped her face with her sleeve. "And you're still as stubborn as I remember you twenty years ago. Now come on!"  
  
Harry shook his head strongly. "I can't move." He stated flatly.  
  
"What do you mean by you can't move."  
  
Harry rolled his pants up and showed her his knee.  
  
"Oh gosh, I forgot. Draco, honey? Can you get some medi-wizards here to heal Harry? I'm not sure I can do it myself." Hermione called over her shoulder to the blond man who had been there examining their reunion.  
  
"Yeah sure Hermione, I'll be right back." With that, Malfoy apparated.  
  
Harry looked over at the spot where the man had just been. Draco, eh? So once again, he got the girl, and I got..nothing. Harry leaned up on his good leg and limped away.  
  
"Harry, where are you going?" Hermione got up and started to follow him, worried that he might hurt himself.  
  
"I'll be alright, I can manage on my own. Go back to your husband Malfoy," Harry spat in disgust. "—and your family...Hermione. I don't need your help. I'm fine." He continued limping away.  
  
"What happened to your promises?" Hermione stopped.  
  
Harry sighed, "I'm sure that husband of yours is competent enough. Really Hermione, I got to go."  
  
"Harry, at least let the medi-wizards take a look at that knee." Hermione ran up to him. "Please Harry. I'll do anything, I'll give you anything, if you will just let me help you."  
  
"Can I have you, Hermione? Can I have your heart?" Harry turned around sharply.  
  
"Harry, be reasonable."  
  
"I AM BEING DAMN REASONABLE."  
  
"I'm sorry." Hermione sighed.  
  
"DAMN RIGHT YOU SHOULD BE SORRY. TWENTY YEARS. TWENTY DAMN LONG YEARS. I COME BACK HOPING THAT I CAN FINALLY HAVE YOU. BUT GUESS WHAT I FIND? YOU AND THAT GOOD FOR NOTHING MALFOY." Harry screamed, limping away as fast as he could until the pain finally washed over him.  
  
Hermione's POV  
  
Hermione sat next to Harry's bed, waiting for him to wake up. Both her and Draco thought it was best to keep him in a Muggle hospital close to Ginger's home so they could check on Harry and the children. Hermione couldn't take her mind off the horrible things that Harry had said, but she couldn't bring herself to be mad at him, because she knew how much he had loved her and how much he still loved her.  
  
Harry stirred in his bed and Hermione immediately pulled her chair closer.  
  
"Harry?" She inquired, rubbing his hand between hers, "How do you feel?"  
  
"Uhnn..."Groaned Harry. "Hermione? I'm sorry."  
  
"It's alright, I understand, I would be mad too. It's not your fault."  
  
"It is, I shouldn't have said what I said." Harry looked ashamed.  
  
Hermione smiled. "Hey, you wanna take a look in the mirror, Mr. Dark, Tall, and Sexy?" She laughed out loud.  
  
"What is that supposed to mean?" Harry looked puzzled.  
  
"Here." Hermione, still chuckling, handed Harry a small mirror and Harry looked into it.  
  
Harry's POV  
  
The mirror reflected back a clean-shaven middle-aged man with unkempt hair and sharp green eyes. "Wow, I haven't looked in a mirror in ages!"  
  
"Ya like what you see?" Hermione teased like in the old times.  
  
"I'm OLD!" Harry pretended to faint.  
  
"What did you expect?"  
  
[Knocking] Muffled voice "Can we come in?"  
  
"Oh! Must be the family! COME IN, Harry's up." Hermione called.  
  
One by one, the "family" creeped in. First a small boy, clinging on to his younger sister's hand, then Malfoy, and finally Hermione's mother.  
  
"Hey Dave and Paige." Hermione smiled as they took turns giving her hugs. "Say hello to Uncle Harry."  
  
"Hi Uncle Harry." Dave climbed over Harry's cast and sat next to him.  
  
"'ello Unk 'arry!" Paige exclaimed happily as she bounced up and down on Harry's stomach.  
  
"Wonderful to finally meet you, Harry! I've heard so much about you." Ginger smiled and gave Harry a huge bear hug.  
  
"Hey Po-Harry, I never really got to say thank you for what you did, so thank you." Malfoy said half grudgingly holding out his hand.  
  
"No problem Ma-Draco, I got your back." Harry replied, suddenly turning very cold, but still holding out his hand and shaking Malfoy's hand.  
  
"So..." Hermione broke the ice. "How do you feel, Harry?"  
  
"Fine, I guess...but what is that piece of plastic junk I have wrapped around my leg?"  
  
"It's one of those newer casts that the muggle doctors use now-a- days. Pretty effective."  
  
"So why can't I just get healed by one of those medi-wizards?"  
  
Hermione looked at Draco, who smiled, and turned back to Harry. "You see Harry, they did try to heal that knee, but they discovered that it had been jinxed with some type of dark magic so that it would take, perhaps many years, to heal. So we decided that you might as well get a muggle cast that could help keep that knee of your's in place for a while."  
  
Harry looked furious.  
  
"And, we also figured that it was for the better. If we were to keep you in the wizarding world, we would probably never see you again, but here, we can keep an eye on you, to make sure you're alright." Hermione added.  
  
"I'm not a little kid, you know? I can and I will take care of myself." Harry stubbornly .  
  
"Uncle Harry. I'm a kid." Dave said shyly with his fingers in his mouth.  
  
Harry smiled, mussing up Dave's hair with his palm. "I know you are."  
  
"Come on Harry, just a couple of weeks. I'm sure mom won't mind you staying with us until you get settled in, will you mom?" Hermione turned around, waiting for an answer.  
  
"Don't be ridiculous, of course I won't mind. You are almost like family." Ginger smiled warmly. "You are welcome to stay for as long as you need to stay."  
  
Draco's POV  
  
So that was that, Potter was to stay with their family for the next couple of weeks while they sorted everything out and found him a place of his own.  
  
Draco carefully steered the car into the driveway of Ginger's house, parked and everyone unloaded out of the car, making their way up the pathway to the front door. He leaned against the car door, watching as Dave and Paige happily toddled behind Ginger up the porch. Potter was slowly easing himself up the pathway on his crutches. Draco felt an arm slide around his back and smiled as a small hand fit into the back pocket of his jeans.  
  
"Are you satisfied?" Hermione looked up into Draco's face.  
  
"Mm.. I'm happy, if that's what you're wondering." Draco kissed Hermione on the forehead, slinging his arm around her shoulder, guiding her to the house. "I have a healthy and happy family, a beautiful wife, and a great job. What more could I ask for?"  
  
Hermione laughed. "I'm so glad Harry's back. I've missed him so much. Gosh, we have so much catching up to do. I can't wait until I call Ron and tell him the good news." And with that, she hustled off to help Harry up the porch stairs.  
  
Draco sighed, sure he had figured out his dreams, but what now? Him and Potter, his long lost enemy from Hogwarts, living under the same roof. What would happen to his relationship with Hermione? Potter better knew not to ruin their marriage, their perfect marriage. But then again, how could he? Wasn't it he, Draco, who had won Hermione's heart twenty years ago? She loved him, didn't she? 


	4. The three of them again

Hermione's POV

"I'm going to go call Ron and tell him the good news!" Hermione exclaimed as she ushered Harry to his room and placed fresh clothes on his bed for him to change into.

"It can wait, can't it?" Harry inquired.

"Of course not, he has to know the good news." Hermione beamed. "I'll be back in a few minutes, then we can talk. Ok?"

"Yea sure," Harry said, pulling off his threadbare shirt, revealing his rock hard abs.

Hermione stared, after all these years, Harry had still managed to keep himself so in shape. Her eyes started welling up with tears again. What happened to him all these years? How much pain did he have to go through?

"You alright there?" Harry came over and put his arm around her shoulder.

Hermione wiped her eyes and forced a smile. "Yea, I'll be back," She said before she walked out of the door, leaving Harry standing there.

* * *

"Hello, may I speak to Mr. Ron Weasley, please?" Hermione said to the receptionist, whose head was floating in the fireplace.

"Certainly Miss, and may I inquire who is asking for him?" The receptionist smiled perfunctorily.

"Um, just tell him its Hermione, and tell him it is very important."

" Sure, no problem, please wait." A mini orchestra, floating in the fireplace and playing dull songs, replaced the receptionist's head.

"He-hello? Is this thing on, Nancy?" Ron's head popped up in the fireplace.

"Ron? It's me, Hermione!"

"Herm—wow! Look at you, long time no see, eh? How are you doing?"

"Good, how bout you?"

Ron sighed, "It's been busy around here, close to 1,000 orders of Weasley's Wizard Watch everyday. I've been working nonstop for hours!"

Hermione looked closely at Ron. He was no longer that carefree young boy that had left Hogwarts to study abroad with his father, but instead a sophisticated businessman. She hadn't seen him in years, but she had heard that he had gotten married, and was now happily settled in the wizarding world with a booming business and a thriving family. "Listen, could you come over to my mom's house right now? I have someone you have to meet."

"Uh, sure, is everything okay?" Ron looked worried.

"Uh huh, I just have to tell you something in person." Hermione smiled.

"Hold on," He turned around and yelled. "NANCY, CANCEL ALL MY APPOINTMENTS TODAY, I HAVE SOME PERSONAL BUSINESSES TO ATTEND TO. Hold on Hermione, I'll be right there. Bye! NANCY, HOW DO I TURN THIS BLOODY THING OFF?"

Hermione laughed as she put out the fire in the fireplace. A second later, Ron was standing in the kitchen, dressed in a fancy robe, with an anxious look on his face.

"Please have a seat. Would you like something to drink?" Hermione asked.

"No, no thanks." Ron pulled out a chair and sat down.

"Well, Ron, Harry's back." Hermione said gravely.

Ron swept a hand through his tousled hair, breathing deeply. "Hermione, please, don't do this to me. We both know that Harry isn't coming back."

"NO, he is back, I swear."

"This is ridiculous. Is this some kind of sick joke, Hermione? You know how much Harry meant to me. He was almost like a brother. Seriously, don't play these kind o—." Ron stared right over Hermione. He sat unblinking as if he had seen a ghost, and if he blinked, it would fade away.

Hermione turned around, sure that Ron had already seen Harry. She stood up and helped Harry over to the dining room table. Ron's face turned white, but he still sat unmoved, except for one hand, which reached over the table and prodded Harry's arm. He blinked, letting loose all the tears he had kept in for Harry.

"Bloody hell, it is you, Harry. It's really you." He grabbed Harry's hand in a warm clasp. "Welcome back." Ron added, without ever taking his eyes off of Harry's face.

"So, Harry, what happened, where have you been all these years?" Ron, always curious, questioned.

"Ro—" Hermione's eyes shot daggers at Ron, but Harry's firm touch on her forearm stopped her.

Harry's POV

"It's alright Hermione, I suppose you and Ron deserve to hear the truth." Harry began.

[Harry telling his story]

"Twenty years ago, I went to the Castle de Vuelta to free Malfoy from Voldemort's confines. We arrived with more than two hundred aurors, but I can't say we—they left with more than one fourth of the original number. That day, many aurors lost their lives as they battled the Death Eaters that awaited them. I was lucky, my only mission was to free Malfoy from the dungeon and defeat Voldemort. At that time, I felt invincible, I had defeated him six other times before, what was one more victory? With Malfoy's help, we were so close to defeating him. But then the 'earthquake' disrupted everything. The castle started sinking quickly and all the remaining aurors and the Death Eaters were in a mad dash to get out. After helping out a wounded auror, there was only time and space left for only one of us to escape. Malfoy, at first, begged me to leave him, but I told him that Hermione need hi—" Harry broke off, choking on his tears. "I asked him to tell Hermione that I would love her forever, and I made him promise to take care of her. With that, I went back to Voldemort's chambers to finish him off. With my last burst of magic, I was able to cast the Aveda Kedavera spell on him—I finished him off, but the immense amount of energy required caused me to pass out. When I woke up, I desperately started searching for a way to get out, but the layers of magic surrounding the castle was impenetratable. Then and there, I thought I was going to die, either by starvation, suffocation, infections, or some other unknown source. I thought, 'Voldemort was right, I am going to die here, and my body will rot here until my great great grandchildren dig my bones up.' For a while, I just sat there, waiting to die, but one day I woke up thinking, 'I am the boy who lived, I am going to get out of this bloody castle.' For a week, I woke up every morning to explore the castle, trying to find a passageway that would possibly lead out of it. Finally, I stumbled upon a trapdoor that would once have led to the dungeon, now it was many layers further underground, and heavily protected with magic. The only way to get out would be to undo all the layers of magic. So for 20 years, I would wake up every morning, magic an abundant supply of oxygen to last me for twenty-four hours, and start undoing the magic. When I got hungry, I would magic some food or some water."

Hermione placed a glass of water in front of Harry. "Thanks." He took a giant gulp and started again. "I thought I was on a roll, I knew–probably-the first five spells, but after a while, they got harder and harder, and soon I was bloody tired and confused. I figured that I wouldn't be able to undo any more spells unless I researched. Remembering that I had crossed an old library during my exploration of the castle, I started making daily excursions there to research about the different types of spells. Some spells would take me months to remove, and a couple others took me years. It cost me twenty bloody long years and a wand to tear down the entire bulwark of spells. Now, here I am."

"So why could you just apparate out of the castle?" Ron asked.

"Voldemort is more careful than that. If he was to capture someone, they could just easily apparate out of the castle and escape." Hermione pointed out.

"Right, so he put an anti-apparating charm on the entire castle. You could only apparate from one room of the castle to another, but you couldn't apparate out of the castle." Harry added.

"So how'd you break your knee, Harry?" Hermione questioned.

"I think it was right before I cast the Aveda Kedavera curse, but I don't really remember. The pain was washed away by all the adrenaline and anxiety. All I do remember is waking up and feeling my knee throbbing like mad, and when I tried to stand up, I just fell back down. So basically, for the last 20 years, I've either had to drag myself around, or put a temporary healing spell on my bad knee. I never understood why it wasn't getting better until I was examined by the medi-wizards."

"Bloody, you ARE the bravest man I know."

* * *

Darn, anyone have an idea how I can end this story? If you do, please leave a note or something. I have serious writers block right now. I was gonna do it so that Harry polyjuices into Draco after he locks him away in a cell, because he wants to be with hermione so bad, but I figured that locking Draco in a cell is a little ridiculous. Cuz I mean, its DRACO we're talking about. And blahblahblah Harry gets Hermione pregnant, but she thinks DRACO did, so when the baby is born, he looks exactly like Harry. Si?


	5. a haunting past

Harry's POV  
  
That weekend, Hermione took Harry back to the wizarding world, to Diagon Alley, where they would be able to withdraw some money from Harry's bank account and buy some items that he would need. All around them, people were pointing and muttering, "Isn't that Harry Potter?" and "That can't be Harry Potter, he is dead." Harry was too busy admiring the new stores that had been opened to pay attention. "Good lord, will you look at that shop, they must have a gazillion different flavored lollipops."  
  
"Oh my god, can't they just shut the bloody hell up?" Hermione sighed exasperated.  
  
Harry chuckled. "So what are we going to get?"  
  
"What do you need?"  
  
"Robes, a new broom?" His face brightened as he remembered his childhood love.  
  
"No way are you riding a broom with that knee." Hermione stuck her hands on her hips.  
  
"You're not my m—" Harry suddenly stopped mid sentence. "Nimbus 4000." His face glowed like a child opening a long awaited Christmas present.  
  
"Come on," Hermione grabbed his wrist and wrenched him away from the window where the broom was displayed. "We should get your money first."  
  
"Wait, I don't have my key." Harry sighed.  
  
"I have it, now COME ON!" She half pulled, half pushed Harry up the Gringott stairs and was finally able to withdraw a good amount of Galleons, Sickles, and Knuts.  
  
"Hey, can we take a break, this knee of mine is starting to stiffen up." Harry motioned to his right knee.  
  
"Oh, okay, why don't we grab some Wanilla ice-cream at the ice-cream shoppe?" Hermione smiled. "My treat."  
  
Harry laughed. "Alright." He took a seat on a shaded bench outside of the store while Hermione went in to purchase ice cream.  
  
[Door bell rings]  
  
"Here you go." Hermione handed a huge ice cream cone to Harry.  
  
"Wow, I haven't had these in ages!" Harry eagerly devoured his ice cream.  
  
"Whoa slow down there." Hermione swept a hand through her hair, and the silver ring glistened in the sunlight.  
  
Harry stared thoughtfully at the ring.  
  
"I can't believe you kept this silly thing." He muttered, taking Hermione's hand and twisting the silver ring around her finger.  
  
She snatched her hand away. "It's not silly."  
  
"What was it? The stupid promise ring that I gave you when we were going out?" Harry's face betrayed no emotions. "You don't have to feel obligated to wear it." His eyes had turned into a dull green slate.  
  
"I want to wear it. It was the only thing I had to remember you with." Tears welled up in her eyes.  
  
Harry saw them and turned a shade of red. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean for it to come out that way. Really."  
  
"Harry, it's been hard for me too, ok? Maybe it doesn't seem like it, but I never forgave myself for letting you go and not saying goodbye. I thought it was my fault that you didn't come back. I was so scared when I saw the aurors flying back, I was so scared that I would never see you again." Hermione buried her face in her hands.  
  
"Look, I'm sorry, I know how hard it was for you." He pulled her into a hug and held her tightly. He whispered in her hair, "I would never hurt you intentionally." Harry could feel the wetness of her tears on his chest, but he never felt more alive. Once again he had Hermione in his arms, even if it was only for a short-lived moment. "I wish you had given me a chance. Just one chance to prove to you that I could be the man of your dreams."  
  
Hermione wiped her tears away. "Harry, it would have never worked. We are like brother and sister. There is no way that a brother and sister could ever have a romantic relationship. I do love you, just as a sister would love her brother. Please understand and be happy with my marriage to Draco, okay?"  
  
Harry nodded curtly and stood up. "I understand."  
  
"Harry please don't be mad at me." Hermione looked as if she would start crying again.  
  
"We have work to do." walked away without turning back. 'Why did I do that?' He thought. 'It's not her fault. It's mine. It's all mine, so why am I taking it out on her?' His mind spun with questions and guilt.  
  
Hermione's POV  
  
'What was it? Their fifth time fighting since Harry had come back? And he had only come back three days ago.' Hermione sighed. It wasn't supposed to be like this. Of all the dreams she had had in which Harry had come back, none of them ever ended like this. Meekly, she followed behind Harry, keeping enough distance between them.  
  
[hours later]  
  
Together, Harry and Hermione returned to her mother's house. Harry had an armful of purchases, including new robes, a new wand, and the Nimbus 4000 that had seen sitting in the window. He was also carrying many sheets of papers, advertising prospective houses.  
  
"Hi you guys, did you have fun?" Greeted Ginger as she stepped aside to let Harry and Hermione through.  
  
"It was fine thank you Mrs. Granger." Harry forced a smile.  
  
"Just lovely, mom." Bit Hermione.  
  
"Mummy, mummy, mummy! Look." Dave came running over to Hermione who kneeled down and gave him a hug. "Look at my first loose tooth." He said, gently wiggling the tooth with his tongue.  
  
"Oh that's wonderful Dave, where's daddy and Paige?" She stood up and waited for someone to walk down the stairs.  
  
"They went to the park, honey." Ginger smiled. "Draco said that they would be home for dinner."  
  
Harry's POV  
  
Harry stood off to the side, watching the events unfold like he was watching a movie. A movie featuring a perfect family, in a perfect world, with a perfect life. 'What would have happened if Hermione had chosen him over Draco? Would we have two children? Would we be happy?' Harry mused at the thought, but left it at that. Hermione had her own family now. It was he who was out of place.  
  
"Harry?" Ginger asked, snapping him out of his thoughtful trance. "Dinner in 10 minutes."  
  
"Oh yea, thanks." He forced a smile and headed up the stairs to his room.  
  
Upon reaching his room, he lay down on his bed, twirling his new wand in amusement as he watched sparks fly out every which way. Once he found a house, he would be able to get as far away from this place as possible. He no longer wanted to be reminded of his past.

* * *

Oh i know..its so short! like i said, i have writer's block, and i want to get some feedback from you guys before i start writing again :(

Maybe I should end it now? Well, I guess that's what I'm going to have to do until I figure out a good way to end the story :D


	6. blind date

Wheeee thanks to stinkyirma for this FABULOSO idea =D

* * *

Harry's POV  
  
Wanting to escape from the house for a day, Harry headed back to Diagon Alley and decided to reabsorb the wizarding life that he had been detached from for so long. A smile crept up his face as he remembered the first time he had traveled by floo powder, and if it hadn't been for Hagrid, he would have never found his way back to Diagon Alley.  
  
"Excuse me, sir." A voice brought him back from reminiscing.  
  
"Huh?" Harry glanced about.  
  
"You are blocking the walkway." A young woman carrying bags of purchases stood in front of him.  
  
"Oh, sorry about that." Harry stuttered when he realized that he had zigzagged across the Alley and had ended up on the other side of the street. "Do you need help with those bags?" He asked the brunette.  
  
"Oh, sure, I could use a little help." The woman grinned. "Would you set them down over there please?" She pointed to a bench near them and handed over the bags to Harry, and followed him to the bench.  
  
"Whew, nothing like a day of shopping huh?" She chuckled. "You seem like a nice guy. Are you single?"  
  
"Um..yea." Harry furrowed his eyebrows.  
  
"Oh, don't worry, I have a boyfriend." She laughed and continued. "It's just that, I have this friend, and nothing I do will make her even consider going out on a date. She says 'her heart has already been taken, and will never be given to another.' Pfbbt. I say she should give other men a chance, but oh god, she is so stubborn!"  
  
"Hmm."  
  
"Would you like to go on a blind date with her? I'm sure you guys will hit it off real well!" The brown haired lady smiled.  
  
"Well..hmm," Harry's words hung suspended in the air.  
  
"I'll take that as a yes. How's tonight at Shanty's Sidewalk Café? Seven sound ok?" The young woman clasped Harry's hands in her own. "You will love her!" She whispered before she got up and apparated off with her bags.  
  
Harry leaned back against the bench. What was he supposed to think? He had just been forced into a date by a nameless woman with someone he didn't even know anything about.  
  
Ginny's POV  
  
"NO! Absolutely not!" Ginny cried exasperated.  
  
"It's just a date. You will love him! He is a total gentleman!" Casey exclaimed.  
  
"Ugh, Casey, next time ask me before you set me up." Ginny flopped on to the couch in the apartment she shared with Casey, her petite frame dressed in a t-shirt and pajama bottoms.  
  
Casey came and sat down next to her. "Does that mean you'll go?" She wiggled her eyebrows in a playful way.  
  
"NO!" Ginny fumbled a pillow and tossed it at Casey.  
  
"Come on! You're 35, it's time to settle down and start a family." Casey prodded Ginny's thighs.  
  
"Why don't you settle down?" Ginny sighed.  
  
"Hey, at least I have a boyfriend. All you are doing is dwelling on your past. You're never going to find happiness this way."  
  
"I'm happy. My books and my work in the ministry are all I need to keep me satisfied!"  
  
"Oh really?" Casey raised one eyebrow.  
  
"YES!" Ginny got up, walked over to her desk and started shuffling papers.  
  
"You know you want to see him," Casey pranced around Ginny and her desk.  
  
"ARGH...FINE maybe I am a little teensy bit curious."  
  
"HA!" Casey started doing her victory dance. "Go me! Go me! Who's right? Who's right?"  
  
"ALRIGHT! ALRIGHT! You are always right." Ginny rolled her eyes. "All hail queen Casey." She pretended to throw up.  
  
"So you're going?"  
  
"On one condition! If you stay there to bail me out in case something goes horribly wrong."  
  
"Witch's honor!" Casey feigned a salute and pumped the air with her fists. "Let's get the party started!" She directed Ginny into her room. "First off, whatcha gonna wear?"  
  
"Why are you asking me? All I have are work clothes and pajamas." Ginny swept her flaming red hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ears. She sighed as Casey dug ravenously through her closet.  
  
"Okay, how about this?" She pulled out a dark blue dress. It was plain, but sophisticated, and dressy enough for the occasion.  
  
"Oh my god, I still have this?" Ginny took the dress. "I wore this to that Hogwart's anniversary ball that we had ages ago. I doubt I will still fit in it."  
  
"Well, we wont know until you try it on, will we?" Casey pushed her towards the bathroom.  
  
Harry's POV  
  
"I'm going out for dinner!" Harry yelled as he dashed out the door on his way to the blind date. Sure, he didn't want to go, but he didn't want to arrive late and make a bad impression.  
  
"Harry? Harry!" He heard someone calling him, but he had already apparated to Diagon Alley.  
  
At night, Diagon Alley was even more beautiful than it was in the morning. The shop windows illuminated the items in the windows, and the streetlights cast a soft light onto the pavement. Harry ambled slowly towards Shanty's Café, which was brightly decorated with chains of lightbulbs, and took a seat at one of tables set out on the sidewalk. The warm night breeze felt good against his skin as he waited for his date.  
  
Ginny's POV  
  
Dressed in her blue satin dress and in strappy sandals, Ginny walked along side Casey. "Remember the signal. If anything goes wrong and I use the signal, come over RIGHT AWAY." Ginny gripped her purse handle tightly.  
  
"I will remember! Don't worry, I'll be right across the street in the bookstore." Casey glanced at the sidewalk café. "Look, there he is. Have fun!" She walked off towards the bookstore, but not before winking quickly.  
  
Ginny cautiously approached the man sitting at the sidewalk table. He was good looking enough, and if he had as charming a personality as Casey had described, maybe it wouldn't be so bad afterall. She walked over to the table and sat down across from the man who was busy reading the Daily Prophet. "Hi, I'm-"  
  
Harry's POV  
  
"Ginny." Harry had looked up when he heard someone sit down in front of him. He would recognize that flaming red hair anywhere.  
  
"Do I know you from somewhere?" Ginny furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.  
  
"It's me, Harry."  
  
Ginny's POV  
  
"H-harry...Potter." Ginny stuttered.  
  
"Didn't Ron tell you I was back?" Harry looked concerned for the paling Weasley in front of him.  
  
"I'm sorry, could I get a glass of water?" Ginny suddenly flushed red.  
  
"WAITER! A GLASS OF WATER. MAKE HASTE." Harry yelled, and within seconds, they had a glass of water between them.  
  
Ginny quickly drained the water.  
  
"Do you feel better?" Harry leaned over the table, staring at her long and hard, but Ginny evaded his eyes.  
  
"You're supposed to be dead." Ginny finally broke the awkward silence.  
  
"Maybe it would have been better that way.." 


End file.
